Ordnance QF 25-pounder Short

Location: Royal Australian Artillery National Artillery Museum, North Fort, North Head Sydney NSW

Date: March 2006

In January 1940, approval was given to commence manufacture in Australia of the British Ordnance QF 25pdr field artillery piece.  The first example rolled off the assembly lines in May 1941, a remarkable achievement given the state of the Australian manufacturing base before the war.

As the focus of Australia’s war effort moved from the Mediterranean to the jungles of New Guinea and South East Asia from 1941, the shortcomings of this otherwise excellent weapon in terms of ability to operate away from developed road networks and motor transport accessible terrain were exposed.

Australian industry again responded and developed a lighter, more readily transportable version of the 25pdr which was able to be broken down quickly into air-, jeep- or man- transportable components.  This involved modifications to barrel, recoil / recuperator and mount.

Further info and contemporary pics can be found in the Wikipedia entry.